.
Had I ever done anything as embarrassing as this?
Well, yeah, I’ve fought stark naked in broad daylight. But that was more-or-less forced on me. This time, I was the one initiating the action. It makes a difference, you know?
I was staring at the little bell– it was totally the same dome-shaped call bell with a striker button on top seen on store counters on Earth– and unable to imagine what I would say when someone answered.
They can’t even see my face! How could this be so difficult?
After the embarrassment had kept me frozen for another thirty seconds or so, I let out an exasperated huff. I had already walked into houses of prostitution on my own, multiple times. The only difference here was that the person on the other end of the call would be just the room service operator, an intermediary, rather than someone in the trade.
They were still making the arrangements right? What did I have to be ashamed of? If I were still Robert, I would be all over this. He always did say if he was ever somewhere that it was legal and he could afford it, he would give it a shot…
That thought froze in my mind. I was Tiana now, but not the old Tiana. Although I tended to live my life with her habits and within the rules she had to abide by, I wasn’t the same person. And while I had certainly grown accustomed to thinking of myself as more-or-less a girl, I was still that person who said he would do it, if he had the opportunity.
Twisting my lip in annoyance at myself, I slapped the bell button.
“Room Service.”
“This is Lady Tiana in the Plum Blossom Jade suite,” I stated. “I should like to hire two girls for tonight.”
That’s right, I said ‘two’. I’ll explain later.
After a pause, the operator asked, “You require girls for night service, My Lady?”
“That’s correct. If possible, can you arrange for girls who have experience with vampires?”
“Ah… we don’t often see vampires here in Relador, My Lady.”
“Then please warn them in advance and make sure they are willing to serve my kind? I promise they are in no danger from me, but I don’t want to trouble a girl who is unwilling to provide for my needs.”
“Certainly. And you said two girls, My Lady?”
This was Grandmother’s plan. She insisted that I build up my ‘magic core’ by hiring multiple girls from now on. I needed to learn how to judge the state of their pneuma and how much I could safely take from them, too.
From now on, I would hire one girl to condense blood and one to sustain myself. And, if I could learn to do it, condense all the blood and only take back what I needed. She believed that I had probably been wasting a lot up until now.
She had a point. Despite having absorbed less than half the blood from Becca, keeping the majority in the little ball of condensed blood still inside me, I had not actually felt any twinges of blood hunger at all. Even after the amount of flying and fighting I had done, I was fine. So, I was clearly getting better gas mileage.
“That’s correct,” I answered. “Two girls. Is there a problem?”
“There is no problem. Is My Lady familiar with the typical fees charged?”
“I would expect the two together would cost me several sovereigns at least.”
“We cater to a sophisticated clientele, My Lady. The girls we procure require a fee of a quarter-crown each.”
Less than half the price of a night with Dana alone for the two of them?
Well, it was a much smaller town. The high-end just wasn’t as high here.
“That is acceptable.”
“The usual time is the fourth hour of Evening, but we can provide earlier. You may have them arrive with dinner if you wish.”
I had actually just arrived back from an early dinner with Feraen and Serera, so that was out. I thought a moment, then smiled, “I don’t require dinner. But make it the third hour. I’m an early riser.”
“Certainly, My Lady. You will be paying the girls tonight. We don’t add such charges to the bill for accommodations.”
“Naturally,” I agreed. “Thank you.”
“We are pleased to serve you, My Lady.”
The magic circle faded as the connection ended.
I sighed and shook my head, happy to have that over with. So, at this world’s nine o’clock, I would receive a couple hookers in my hotel room…
So I had about an hour and a half to wait. I found a cushion and seated myself with the sword maintenance kit and Durandal.
“Well, old man, you look like hell,” I said while laying out the stuff. There was a leather strop built into the handle from the tool caddy, but this was a job for the whetstone. I rolled out the cloth, took out the polishing pad and polish and got to work. Before I could sharpen the blade, I had to see actual steel.
You will be have to work for some time, My Lady. I’m made of stronger stuff than some common soldier’s weapon.
“I’m made of stronger stuff than some common soldier, Durandal,” I replied, and got to work.
Gawd, that old thing was filthy. And as dull as a rock. But the combination of fairy vampire muscle power and Earth mana fortifying the whetstone and then the strop for a polish job was sufficient to the task. After the majority of an hour, I stared at it, a little amazed at the gorgeous blade that was glistening with new oil in my hands. It was a dark steel blue, beautifully engraved with rosemaling patterns, inscribed with the curving runes of the elven tongue. Although it was in an ancient form that I couldn’t read, it was extraordinary.
How do I look?
I smiled. “Not bad at all. Certainly fit for a fairy vampire knight.”
He humphed. I’m a holy sword, My Lady. It’s the knight who must be fit for me.
My smile grew wry. “Do I pass?”
Without a doubt, My Lady.
I cleaned up and packed the maintenance kit, then put Durandal away inside the wardrobe. I was relaxing with a cup of tea, dispensed from a very clever magic tool built into the furnishings, reading one of the books from the suite’s bookshelf, when a knock came on the door.
“Room Service.”
I do not have whatever magic Serera has to remote-control the door. I called, “Enter!”
A maid opened the door and asked, “Did you order service for this evening, My Lady?”
I nodded. “I did.”
She stepped back, holding the door open, and two attractive young ladies entered. Attire-wise, they were discretely dressed like the upper class women I had seen in the dining room at dinner. Only their eyes were different. More worldly, I guess you could say? But they did seem a bit curious when they saw me.
“Welcome,” I greeted them.
Then, entering behind them, an imperious looking Lady Feraen came in, pushing her way past the rest. The maid’s jaw dropped open, and she seemed to be ready to object. Nothing about the appearance of her current, very human-fashioned raiment said in particular, “Fairy,” so the girl possibly didn’t know.
I spoke before the maid could protest.
“Ëi onar lâ, Fele Feraen.”
To the maid, who was looking at me with confusion, I added, “My Lady is an acquaintance. I’ll speak with her privately. The girls may stay. Thank you.”
The maid nodded and closed the door behind her.
I looked at Feraen and raised my eyebrows. “What may I do for you, My Lady?”
“For the safety of these two, I shall observe.”
A surprised cough came out of me unbidden. “Observe?”
“I know how many poor Dorians and Parnans your father enslaved. I shall not permit you to do likewise.”
Anger boiled up, and I was ready to retort, but at that moment the door opened again. Lady Serera entered, and closed it behind her.
She asked Feraen, “So, child, is this the new plan? You couldn’t kill her and you couldn’t try her with your rigged jury, so now you are going to falsify an eyewitness report against her?”
Fire immediately flared in Feraen’s eyes. “Exactly what business do you have making such insinuations! I am acting according to my oath as a knight!”
Serera replied with a completely unimpressed mood. “You have been acting as a fatally prejudiced prosecutor against someone who has yet to commit any crime in this country. As for what may or may not have happened in Atianus, you may present your claims to the crown when we arrive in Tëan Tír. In the mean time, you yourself stand accused of assault and are therefore anything but a fair witness.”
“Assault?! If you continue to impune my honor…” Feraen began, but Serera cut her off.
“I already know that you arranged for that so-called court to appear this morning! Hindering my effort to bring the two of you to His Majesty was an unwise move, My Lady, and very possibly a criminal one! Do not make my report to His Majesty even more detailed!”
The two newcomers were watching this exchange with wide eyes and just a little fear. Both Serera and Feraen were in mortal guise, so the girls were probably only now beginning to realize they were actually fairies.
“So you would leave these two innocent mortals in the clutched of this monster?” Faraen retorted.
Serera gave her a sweet smile. “If you insist on an observer, then I shall stay. Will that suffice?”
Feraen stared at her for a few moments, then pressed her lips together and abruptly exited the room without a reply. Serera’s mysterious magic closed the door behind the departing fairy.
The two girls remained still as stone, wide-eyed and silent. Serera smiled proudly at me.
“So… you’re observing?” I asked.
Her smile grew impish. “I’ve never watched a vampire feeding before. I’ve heard it can be quite erotic.”
I let out a sigh and shook my head. Then I looked at my other ‘guests’, stood up and curtseyed.
“Hello, ladies. I am Tiana. Please accept my apology for the embarrassing drama you were just forced to witness. I and the Lady who just left have a bit of history, you see.”
The two looked at each other, then the taller of the two, a blond with jade-green eyes, nodded to me mutely. Her partner, a cute redhead, looked at her, then me, then nodded as well.
The blond said, “Yes, My Lady. I am Caris.”
She finished with another Dorian bow.
“I am Mila,” said the redhead, with a bow of her own.
I bowed my head gracefully in return, using the noblewoman’s form that Benedetta had taught me for if I ever visited Pendor as a noble daughter, then told them, “I normally visit establishments for this. I’ve never called a girl to my lodgings before. Do you require payment first, or later?”
“The madam insists that we have the customer show us the coin first,” Caris stated. “I apologize if that seems rude.”
“It sounds quite reasonable to me,” I said with a smile. My shopping trip had produced, among other things, a small coin purse so I didn’t have to show the weight of my sword belt’s wallet everywhere, but for safety’s sake I had hidden it with the rest of my valuables in the wardrobe. Instead, I gestured to the end table, next to the book I had set down, where a pair of quarter-crown coins sat.
“I am told this is the requested fee?”
“Yes ma’am,” Caris nodded.
“Will you have us stay the night, My Lady?” Mila wondered.
I pursed my lips. “It would be best for you. You’ll need sleep.”
The redhead then broached the most important subject. “Neither of us have ever done business with a vampire before, My Lady. How should we begin?”
